Former WBO, Ring Magazine and Diamond belt super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire won’t back down from any fighter Top Rank Promotions put in front of him, including two division world champion Vic Darchinyan who told the Manila Standard he’d love to get a rematch with Donaire who won by a 5th round knockout on July 7, 2007 to win the IBF/IBO flyweight titles.

Donaire who was at the Top Rank Gym on Thursday (Manila Time) for the first time since his stunning loss to former Cuban two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux last April 13 at the Radio City Music Hall in New York told the Standard he began training and that his shoulder was “much better and I feel great.”

He said he’d be able to become more active in working out in about a week when his reflexes get better.

Donaire underwent surgery after the Rigondeaux fight for a bone spur and two torn ligaments in his shoulder.

Asked about Darchinyan’s push for a rematch and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum’s comment that such a fight is possible, Donaire made it clear, “ I don’t back down from any fight” which would include a rematch with Darchinyan.

However, he told us that while he is expected to return to the ring in late October or early November there’s been no mention of a possible opponent as yet.

Top Rank president Todd duBeof is in New York to meet with the top executives of HBO Sports to finalize details of a Donaire fight including a date and venue.

Darchinyan told us he is “pushing for a rematch” while his manager Frank Espinoza believes a rematch can be easily made since both Donaire and Darchinyan are under Top Rank and “the timing is right” although Darchinyan indicated in his conversation with the Standard he would like the fight to take place in September which wouldn’t give Donaire enough time to recover from his surgery and get ready for a fight.

Meanwhile, Donaire said he was “very excited” about the forthcoming birth of a son by wife Rachel which is expected on July 21.